Snorting

[Konch]

It may sound funny, but when we are out hacking my girl snorts in time with her cantering. Most people can tell its me coming round the corner by this.
She has also started snorting when we work in the school now. Am i right in thinking this is a pleasure thing and i should be pleased (esp when doing exercise in the school). Its def nothing to do with dust as its winter & summer.

[KarinUS]

I know exactly what you mean. My horse does it too. It's so rythmic and helps me ride better! :)

Not sure what it menas but I don't think it's anything bad. :)

[Jessey]

My horse does it when I work him really hard (hes pretty fit) I don't think it is anything to generally worry about its just they are breathing heavily, if it started happening suddenly when it hadn't before I might think a little harder about it.
J

[KarinUS]

I think that's slightly different. DJ's is more of a rythmic brr-brr-brr. It doesn't really have anything to do with how hard he works. And it's only in canter. He generally does it wehn we have a nice, even canter going.

[Gabrielle]

Hi

My girl does this also. I thought it was from her having a cold a while ago. She does tend to do it when she is excited though. does anyone else have any thoughts?

[clurly_wurly]

I sometimes ride a horse that snorts when he canters too. At first I thought I was killing him or something, he sounds like a train! So I've been wondering what causes it or why they do it for a while now too.

[JOJOBA]

I know a lot of horses that do it - it usually seems to be a big horse thing. On the downside though I knew a horse who snorted terribly, increasingly until he did it all the time, and who began to cough up gunk. He had a terrible cough for ages. They gave him a trachaeochtomy (sorry for that spelling! Hope you know what I mean!) which didnt help, and ended up having to cut into his face to clear his sinuses, which they discovered were solid with gunk.
That was a one off I think though - I know a couple who snort because theyre unfit, and the rest just.... do :p!
xxx

[galadriel]

They have those nasal patches that you can put on your horse's nose to open his nostrils. It might be worth trying one to see if it changes things--if it does, then it has something to do with your horse inhaling.

My horse makes this kind of grumbling snorty sound when she *thinks* she's working hard; it's hilarious. Working hard may be as simple as going into a shadowy area, or as complex as heavier lateral work--but never galloping! That's *not* hard work ;)

[DITZ]

my horse has just started doing it too and I've noticed a few horses that do it when I've been videoing dressage tests.

I think it has something to do with breathing evenly and being relaxed but I'd be really interested to hear anyones views on what actually causes it.

[Konch]

Arh, so my girl isn't a freak! :o) Shes a TB so i thought maybe it was related to her breed, like a racehorse enjoying a trip on the gallops.
I think i'll see it as a happy purrr as we canter along!

[KarinUS]

I think i'll see it as a happy purrr as we canter along!
You know a purr is actually a pretty good description of the rythmic, relaxed manner of this sound.
I thought I had found an explanation of this yesterday on one of the TB websites but then a client came and interrupted me (how dare he!) and I lost the site...
It was something along the lines of something in the body being loose and moving at a relaxed canter but it would be tight at for example a gallop.

[larri]

Safi is canter snorter too, but it's certainly not when she's relaxed I liken it to her revving herself up - snort, bounce, snort, faster,snort, whooohoooo she's off!!

[KarinUS]

See that's why I didn't like the term snort. For my horse it's not a snort. It's more like a rythmic blowing air noise with every stride. More like a purr-purr-purr...
Hard to explain

[Jessey]

If its the sound I'm thinking of (a less pronounced version of snorting at scary things????) I think it is just when they breath heavily or deeply when relaxed (I think the acctual sound is just the movement of the soft skin round the nostrils moving as they breathe)
When I say its when I work my horse hard, it may be better linked that he is breathing deeper and heavier whilst in a prolonged canter or any thing that requires him to use lots of strength in a controlled way.
I used to loan a horse who whistled while cantering!
J

[Ashby]

One of the school horses i ride Archie use to snort all the time in the canter, i thought something was wrong and questioned my instructor.

She told me it was a good sign and that he was enjoying himself

[$@R@H]

Deadre does it 2. Like Karin says, hers is more of a "purr", just like a "Churr, Churr" along with each stride. I like it. My instructor says "Ride the breathing!"! Helps me find the rythm!:D

[martini55]

Originally posted by KarinUS
See that's why I didn't like the term snort. For my horse it's not a snort. It's more like a rythmic blowing air noise with every stride. More like a purr-purr-purr...
Hard to explain

I think I know what you mean, it's like say everytime the leading leg hits the ground the horse 'snorts' ... well it's not really a snort, I think you describe it better with purr! And in between must be the breath in. I knew a couple of horses who did that. One was an old chap who would do it when cantering out on a hack when he was enjoying himself and the other used to just do it in the school. Only ever happened in canter. I don't think it's anything to do with breathing problems or coughs, more rythmical breathing.... with added noise:confused: :p

[Silver1]

Originally posted by galadriel
They have those nasal patches that you can put on your horse's nose to open his nostrils. It might be worth trying one to see if it changes things--if it does, then it has something to do with your horse inhaling.

My horse makes this kind of grumbling snorty sound when she *thinks* she's working hard; it's hilarious. Working hard may be as simple as going into a shadowy area, or as complex as heavier lateral work--but never galloping! That's *not* hard work ;)

Speaking as the owner of the horse whom I have a PICTURE of artfully straining in the harness as she struggles to make headway with the movement of a half pound stick...I know all about the working hard theatrics. Only Mear groans when she thinks she's being overworked.

[kelsey]

I have been told that a "chuffing" type of sound means that your horse is relaxed and happy. My gelding is very happy with our new coach and has been making that sound regularly lately.

[Lancashire Lass]

If it's what I think you're all talking about,....it's what i know to be called 'High Blowing'.... my old horse used to high blow when we were on a Cross Country cross..... is seen to be a good sign and that the horse is kinda 'pacing himself' and his breathing if you see what I mean!!!

[KarinUS]

I looked up the term online and found a Veterinary Website (http://www.penmellyn.co.uk/animals/equine/equine_behaviour.htm)

High blowing: noise made in FALSE NOSTRIL, usually sign of pleasure when cantering.

High blowing it is!

[Konch]

False nostril? hahaha

Phew, well glad to hear theres lots of high blowers out there having such fun!

[**Krista**]

Its a good thing! It means the horse is breathing deeply and using his/her airways properly. Like others, mine only does it if we're starting to work.. he does it in trot as well as canter.. but not as regularly as you. I wouldnt worry unless it is more of a rattle rather than a purr..

[Mossy]

I liken it to her revving herself up - snort, bounce, snort, faster,snort, whooohoooo she's off!!
Moss does it when he cannot go as fast as he wants to. He sounds like a steam train, his size 99 feet pound the ground and you can hear him coming a mile off! He is a little coiled spring. I let the spring go and whee!! [Only problem is when he gets too excited the coiled spring sits on its bottom and we go from a standing start :D Beep beep Grrr! ]

[KarinUS]

Mossy,

I think you have a snorter then- not a high blower... :D a bouncy one at that it seems... ;)

[Hollymead]

Shes a TB so i thought maybe it was related to her breed, like a racehorse enjoying a trip on the gallops

As a former racehorse work rider, I can say that a lot of them do this, but it nearly always tended to be the older, more established horses - backing up said theory of horse being relaxed and rhythmical. It's such a lovely sound.

[Nicole5310]

It certainly sounds like high blowing to me, in my PC manual it is said to occur in well-bred horses, so there you go guys!

[carrimclaren]

Ah and there's me thinking i'm killing my horse by making her canter round the school too much :rolleyes: :D Or rather she would like me to think this. :p

My mare usually does it in canter, i always thought it was because she's annoyed at having to get off her lazy bum and do some work. You know sort of like a person groaning or going tsk when asked to do something they'd rather not do:)

[KarinUS]

It certainly sounds like high blowing to me, in my PC manual it is said to occur in well-bred horses, so there you go guys!

Really? That's very cool. But I always suspected that of my boy anyway... :)

[virtuallyhorses]

Sounds like the outtake of breath which is very desirable at canter (showing that the horse is relaxed) rather than true snorting.

[DITZ]

High blowing: noise made in FALSE NOSTRIL, usually sign of pleasure when cantering

Well my horse has just started doing this recently just as I finally learnt to canter him properly (with the great help of DavidH).

I've had him 2.5 years and never heard him do it before.

Coincidence????;)

[sarahbeth]

High blowing is what it's called, yesh;)
But if you've ever jogged for a long time, your breath becomes *sort of* wheezy..not that it means your overweight or just weak, it's just because not enough oxygen is getting to you.
Happens with horses too;)